Sister
by Sweet Ashori
Summary: "Maybe we're kinda the same?" Steven and Amethyst talk after the events of "On The Run".


Disclaimer: I don't own Steven Universe. If I did, I would likely know what's already going on and my husband and I wouldn't be spending two hours every Thursday discussing new theories based on the latest episodes.

Authoress' Note: This story takes place after the events of On The Run. If you haven't had the opportunity to watch this episode, please be prepared for spoilers. I would also recommend you to watch the episode, as it's probably one of the best episodes so far. This is also my very first non-anime story, so yay for trying something new!

Sister

Amethyst definitely didn't feel right. Nothing felt right tonight. Not the food she scarfed down, not the sea breeze running through her hair, not even the beautiful full moon felt right.

All because of the day they had. The memories she remembered. The anger and depression she felt. The hurt she caused not only to Pearl, but to Steven as well. She knew deep down she truly shouldn't have gone back to the kindergarten. Especially with the half-Gem in tow, but still... she felt like she had to. She had to show Steven too, to show him the "truth" about her even if he didn't understand. To show him what Pearl and Garnet refuse to tell him.

Amethyst sighed in frustration, pounding her fists against the porch railing. She was in the wrong, but honestly she really didn't care that she was. She NEEDED to do what she did, and she NEEDED to show Steven who she really was. Yes, it's not like he hadn't faced some freaky creatures before, but he needed to know that the biggest freak – the biggest monster – he had to face was her. Thing was, she also knew he wouldn't understand. Not because he was still trying to discover everything there was about him being a gem, but also because he wasn't the kind of person to see her as a creature. Steven was truly the son of Rose Quartz: he was kind, sweet, and saw the good in everything, even though he did this in his own naive, Steven-esque way.

She glanced over her shoulder, peering into the window where she saw Steven discussing something with Pearl. _'Feh, something about me, I'm sure,' _Amethyst thought, her eyes narrowing but then closing as she turned around and sighed again.

_'I'm just jumping to conclusions. He's probably just telling her good night. I'm overreacting... I'm only overreacting,' _she added, _'But it's not like I can blame them about talking about me. I mean, I only tried to kill them today; not like that's a big deal, y'know!'_

She punched the porch railing again in her frustration, then dropped her head. She opened her eyes and stared at the sand below her, then darted them towards the waves that were lapping onto the shore. Usually, she found that to be relaxing, and she really wanted them to calm her... of course, not this time.

Suddenly, the screen door opened with a small squeak. "Amethyst?"

Turning her head, Amethyst saw Steven standing in the doorway. "Hey Steven. Thought you'd be in bed by now," she said with a smile on her face, "Surprised Pearl is letting you stay up this late."

The boy shook his head, "I'm not tired yet. So I figured I'd see what you were up to."

Her smile turned downward as she shrugged her shoulders and turned her head back around to the ocean. "Not like I'm doing anything. Just watching the waves. It's pretty boring though," she stated, "But I guess if you want to join me, feel free. I ain't going to stop you."

Steven closed the door behind him and walked up beside his fellow Gem, getting up on his tip-toes slightly to make sure he could see over the railing. The two stood there in silence for a few moments, Steven sometimes passing awkward glances at her.

He wanted to say something to her, but couldn't find the right way to say it. After all that happened today, what could he really say? Before this point, he thought that Amethyst was the same as Pearl and Garnet: a Crystal Gem that mysteriously came from space and now lives on Earth to protect humanity from who knows what evil is out there. Now to find out that she was created, that she wasn't a normal Gem, that there may even be more like her farmed from something... it was all things he didn't quite understand. Much like everything else related to his heritage. He really wished his mother was able to be here; he may not have known her, but he knew that she would know exactly what was needed to be said.

Suddenly, something clicked in his head, things suddenly becoming clear. He took a deep breath and turned his head towards his friend.

"Hey Amethyst?"

"What's up?"

"A long time ago... after you guys bought me all of those Cookie Cats, and after I ate one my gem suddenly started to glow... do you remember what you said after I couldn't figure out how to make it work?"

Amethyst glanced over to Steven, "... Not really. Why, what did I say?"

"Well...," he started to say, looking down at the porch then back up to Amethyst, "You said that even if I couldn't figure out how to use my powers, I was one of you guys and that you wouldn't be the Crystal Gems without me."

Amethyst shrugged her shoulders, "I guess I might have said that. I kinda remember Pearl glaring at me for something. What about it?"

Steven smiled, "Well, I just want to say that it applies to you too. You're a Crystal Gem, and we wouldn't be the same without you too."

That moment, her eyes widened, surprised to hear something like that. Especially after everything that happened, after all of the hurt and tears she caused to her fellow Gems. "You... Y'know, I know you're just saying that. I mean, you know that I'm a mistake now; I'm not a true Crystal Gem," she stated, anger starting to crack her voice.

"Yeah, I know. Well, I don't really know, but I know. But thinking about it... I'm not a true Crystal Gem either," Steven replied, "I mean, I'm only a half-Gem. Sooo... maybe we're kinda the same? Somewhat?"

Again, silence overwhelmed them, but the mood had changed. Now there wasn't awkwardness, but the feeling wasn't so easily placed. There was sadness, some anger, a lot of shock and surprise, but maybe... also some relief? Amethyst could feel her heart beating faster, and she swore she could hear it in her head with how hard it was pounding.

"Steven... We... we aren't the same at all," Amethyst finally whispered, "Rose wanted to have you, even though she knew she would have to disappear. I... I was a mistake. I wasn't supposed to be created."

He shook his head, "Maybe that's true, but I don't think you were a mistake. Pearl, Garnet, and my mom didn't think so either. Maybe you weren't originally meant to be a Crystal Gem, but obviously they thought you were."

Again, he smiled, grabbing at one of Amethyst's hands, "And I think so too. I'm happy that you're a Crystal Gem. I'm happy I get to go on amazing adventures with you, and that we can do silly things together. I mean, I'm really, really happy that you're always here for me!"

Tears started to form in her eyes as Steven spoke, the second time today she cried in front of someone else. Yeah, she's cried before but in the privacy of her room, not in front of her fellow Gems. "Steven... You... You really mean all of this?" she squeakily asked, relief washing over her as she watched him nod his head vigorously.

Even if she truly tried, she couldn't keep the tears from falling down her cheeks. Biting on her bottom lip for just a moment, she let out a small wail as she fell to her knees, grabbing tight to Steven and crying into her shoulders. Steven was taken aback by the quick motion, not expecting Amethyst to break down like she did, but collected himself quickly, closed his eyes with a smile, and wrapped his arms around her.

Suddenly, things started to feel right again. Even through her cries, Amethyst could hear the ocean waves and the sea breeze, and they helped to calm her. She felt relaxed in Steven's embrace, knowing that despite what she did he forgave her. He wasn't scared of her. He actually cared for her... and although they weren't there she could feel the care from the other Gems, telling her that she belonged and that she was loved.

After a few minutes, Amethyst stood, wiping the rest of her tears off on her arm and then flashed a large grin at Steven. "You okay now, Amethyst?" Steven asked concerned.

She gave him a thumbs-up, "Yep, I'm A-OK now! Thank you Steven... I really needed to hear that."

With a laugh, Steven returned her smile with a toothy grin of his own, but then lowered his head and stared at his feet. Amethyst lifted a brow at his sudden downturn, "What's up, Steven?"

"Well... I was thinking about something else too. Thinking about friends and family and stuff. I have my dad, of course, and Pearl and Garnet both try to act like my moms," Steven stated, lifting his hands as if starting to count, "Lars is my best friend. Well, at least I think he is. Oh, and Connie! Well... I don't really know what I should consider Connie, since she's more than just a friend but-"

"Relax, dude. You're starting to rant!" Amethyst exclaimed with a chuckle in her voice.

A small blush formed on Steven's face, followed by a sheepish giggle, "Well... I was thinking about where you're placed in everything, and I think I figured it out. I think... you're like my big sister!"

"Big sister... huh?" Amethyst muttered, quiet as she thought about the title for a moment, then her face lit up with excitement, "Yeah, I think I really like that! Alright Steven, from now on you can refer to me as your big sister!"

"Alright!" Steven yelled, raising his arms up to the sky in sheer excitement, making Amethyst smile even more.

"And do you know what the first thing I'm going to do as your big sister?" she asked, pointing at Steven for a second then at the door, "I'm commanding you to go to bed! It's late, and I don't want to go on a mission with you if you're gonna complain that you're tired!"

Steven laughed and nodded, running towards the door, "Yes, ma'am!"

He opened the door and started to walk in, but then stopped for a moment and turned back around, "Good night, Amethyst."

"Good night, Steven," she replied with a wave.

As the door closed behind him, Amethyst turned back around towards the beach. When the night began, she felt nothing but despair, but now all she could feel was happiness. For the first time in who knew how long, she finally felt like she was meant to be in his world. She was meant to be in Steven's world.

For now, she felt that was the only reason she really, truly needed.


End file.
